Features
Gruelling Bauchi Desertification: Any Succour In Sight?
Environmentalists say that by 1950, over 100 million hectares of the world’s forests had been cleared for industrial purposes. At that time, they add, the forests covered about a quarter of the world’s land mass.
The experts note that 25 years later, more than 200 million hectares of the world’s forests had been destroyed to meet the growing needs of the increasing global population of humans.
In 2000, between 600 and 700 million hectares of the world’s forest reserves had disappeared because of the increase in unsustainable use of forest resources worldwide.
The world’s forests – coniferous, temperate and tropical – are all under serious threat, but experts maintain that it is the destruction of tropical forests that is currently having the greatest impact.
This is because tropical forests play critical roles in regulating the global climate.
Climatologists stress that tropical forests help in maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere by producing vast quantity of oxygen and using up vast quantity of carbon dioxide.
The forests are also described by environmentalists as a “storehouse of genetic diversity” that provides a wide array of goods and materials for human and industrial uses.
Available statistics indicate that even though tropical forests cover only about 6 per cent of total land surface of the planet, they are home to more than half of all species of life on earth.
A report from the World Resource Institute estimated that the annual rate of tropical deforestation was between 16.4 million and 20.4 million hectares worldwide, more than 11.4 million hectares estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FOA).
And the most worrying aspect of the studies, according to concerned experts, is that they indicate that Nigeria is losing more than 350,000 square kilometres of its forest landmass each year.
The experts attributed the unfortunate phenomenon to the effects of desertification, an ecological problem that is more pronounced in 11 desert-prone northern states of the country.
The states are Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa and Adamawa states.
The experts lament that the negative impact of deforestation and desertification has started taking its toll on the lives of humans, animals and plants in the affected states.
For instance, more than 5 million livestock in Yobe State are under serious threat due to the absence of pastures occasioned by seasonal droughts.
It is, perhaps, against this background that Vice-President Namadi Sambo recently directed the Federal Ministry of Environment to produce a roadmap on how to tackle the challenges of desertification and deforestation in the country.
Sambo gave the directive at a recent meeting convened to discuss the issue in the State House, Abuja.
He said that the roadmap was in line with the decision of the Conference of Heads of State of ECOWAS that was recently held in Chad.
Sambo recalled that an agreement was signed at the conference for ECOWAS member countries to undertake massive plantation of trees to save the sub-region from desertification and deforestation.
He expatiated that a similar meeting would be held with the state governors to get them actively involved in the programme to control desertification and deforestation in Nigeria.
The assurances, notwithstanding, the effects of desertification and deforestation appear to be more pronounced and pathetic in the northern part of Bauchi State.
The Bauchi State Government says that the state is losing an average of one kilometre of its landmass annually to desertification.
The government attributes the ugly trend to the indiscriminate felling of trees for fuel and charcoal business.
It expresses deep concern over the activities of a particular syndicate that specialises in indiscriminate felling of trees, lamenting that the trend has seriously exposed the state to desert encroachment.
The government, however, warns that it would no longer condone the activities of some unscrupulous elements that endanger the natural eco-system of the state.
To reverse the trend, the government says it has set up a high-powered committee to check the menace.
The committee comprises traditional rulers, police, security agencies, ministries of Agriculture and Local Government Affairs.
Available records show that the state government has also procured 12 vehicles to ensure effective monitoring of the state’s forest reserves.
Dr Dije Bala, Director-General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BSEPA), says that the government has put in place specific measures to deal with the situation.
“From now on, anybody caught cutting down trees in the state will be prosecuted and his vehicle will also be impounded,” he warns.
“Government will assist those in the charcoal business with loans to enable them to change their business and have an alternative means of livelihood,” he adds.
As part of efforts to have lasting solutions to the environmental menace, Bala says that government had established a nursery of tree seedlings to provide inputs for its tree-planting campaign.
“The state government has raised more than two million species of tree seedlings for this year’s tree-planting campaign to check the menace of desert encroachment.
“Our major ecological problems in the state include desertification, erosion, flooding, siltation of rivers and waste management,” Bala, however, says.
To further strengthen the efforts at pushing back the desert, the state government says it has approved the purchase of more than 10,000 kerosene stoves for distribution to various households to reduce their dependence on firewood for cooking.
“The kerosene stoves would be distributed to households in the northern part of the state where the menace of deforestation and desertification is more pronounced,” says Mr Bukar Bukata, the Commissioner for Water Resources.
Bukata lists Katagum, Zaki, Gamawa, Dambam, Misau, Jama’are, Itas/Gadau, Shira, Darazo, Ningi, Kirfi and Warji as some of the desert-prone local government areas that will benefit from the stoves’ distribution programme.
To take the fight against desertification to the grassroots, the state government says it has also enacted an edict outlawing indiscriminate felling of trees across the state’s 20 local government areas.
Alhaji Sabo Bako, the Chairman of Darazo Local Government Council, says that the council has already started enforcing the new law by impounding 18 trucks loaded with firewood.
Bako says that the action is part of measures adopted to curtail the activities of a syndicate that is engaged in illegal cutting of trees for charcoal and firewood in the area.
He says the drivers of the impounded vehicles were reprimanded, while the owners of their firewood consignments were prosecuted.
“To stem the ugly trend, the council has set up a high-powered committee to monitor the activities of the syndicate and ensure the arrest and prosecution of those caught cutting trees without approval.
Local government councils across the state are apparently becoming increasingly conscious of the twin menace of deforestation and desertification and Kirfi Local Government Council exemplifies the new awareness.
Its Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, says that his council has established two hectares of “shelter belt”, as part of measures to control desertification in the area.
Galadima says that the woodlands were established at Kirfi and Bedoji villages.
He says that Gum Arabic and other drought-resistant trees have also been planted at the shelter belts to enrich the forest resources of the state. According to him, more than N200,000 has been spent on chemical spraying of the shelter belts to guard against pests.
Galadima says that the council had also raised more than 40,000 seedlings of economic trees and had distributed them to farmers for planting in various locations in the area.
“It is part of measures adopted to check depletion of forest resources, control desert encroachment and conserve the eco-system.
“We are also sensitising communities to the dangers of tree-felling, while the council is working with some donor agencies to promote the use of alternative energy and reduce dependence on firewood,” he adds.
Alhaji Abdurrahman Zaki, the Chairman of Warji Local Government Council, also shares a similar concern. He warns the people of the area to desist from actions that could lead to environmental degradation.
Zaki blames loggers and those who engage in bush burning for being partly responsible for the depletion of the state’s forest resources.
He alleges that some people from neighbouring communities often come to forests in Warji Local Government Area to fell trees, warning that the police will henceforth apprehend those involved in such acts.
“The council has put in place serious measures to protect the environment and we have called on the police to assist us by arresting anybody found flouting the law against bush burning or tree felling,” Zaki says.
To reduce deforestation, Zaki says that the council has embarked on a public enlightenment campaign to encourage the people to plant more trees.
This, according to him, is in addition to the establishment of a plant nursery to provide free tree seedlings to the people.
As an incentive to encourage people to plant more trees, Zaki says that those who participated in the tree-planting exercise would receive some cash rewards.
Observers note that the Federal Government’s recent inauguration of a seven-member committee to oversee the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation, represents a boost to the war against deforestation and desertification.
Mr Tolu Makinde, the Chief Press Secretary, Ecological Fund, says that the measure is aimed at combating desertification, deforestation and forest degradation across the country.
He adds that afforestation programme is aimed at accelerating economic development and youth empowerment in the affected states.
The Minister of Environment, Mr John Odey, while inaugurating the committee, charged its members to assist in fast-tracking the implementation of the initiative.
Odey said that the initiative was geared toward raising four million tree seedlings annually to meet ecological challenges of drought, desertification and gully erosion across the country.
The minister said that the committee was also expected to promote an integrated project approach, under a public-private partnership, for the programme’s implementation, while creating a roadmap for the execution of different phases of the programme.
He said that under the programme, states were expected to provide lands free-of-charge and have direct control over the participants.
All said and done, environmentalists believe that the campaign against deforestation and desertification will yield appreciable results if all the citizens, including youths, are able to imbibe the culture of tree-planting, while making extra efforts to conserve the eco-system.
Culled from NAN
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku